Welcome to the Cheesiest Blog on the Web

Welcome to the blog of The Killer Nacho, known to most mortals as Timothy J. Sharpe, a Computer Science graduate of Messiah College and currently a Systems Analyst for Sunoco Logistics. Within this tome of pages, one will find my innermost thoughts about various things concerning things that I enjoy. These subjects include, but are not limited to, roleplaying, gaming, American Football (the NFL), things to do with computers, philosophy, movies that are awesome, TV shows that are awesome, my own writings and creative works, and dangerous Mexican snacks.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

So yeah, the NFL decided to screw up my schedule by being sissies and moving back the Eagles-Vikings game due to some snow. Therefore, I did not have time to do full Power Rankings this week. Seeing that it is Thursday and I have not posted it yet (or even started), I'm going to post an abridged version for this week, sorry. So I'm just going to say all my major thoughts for this week right now:

Damn the Falcons & Saints for breaking my unblemished Monday Night Football record this year during the final Monday Night Football game.

Can someone explain to me why the Bears-Jets game turned into a shootout? Both offenses are awful and both defenses are great. I'm confused. I'm going to write that game off as shenanigans. Maybe both defenses decided not to play for the lols.

Congrats on the Chiefs for finally ending the Chargers' reign of terror in the AFC West.

1-7 at home is unacceptable for the Dolphins. Especially when one loses to the Lions at home.

Please god, let the Rams beat the Seahawks so I don't see a team with a losing record in the playoffs.

Tom Coughlin may be done as Giants HC. His record in November & December is unacceptable. And, he's ancient and they will want to hold onto DC Perry Fewell.

How the hell do the Eagles lose at home to the Joe Webb-led Vikings?

While it is no surprise Mike Singletary was fired, the timing is slightly odd. What's the point of appointing an interim head coach for only 1 game? You won't learn anything about him one way or the other... Unless you don't plan on keeping him, either, and you just wanted to make a point about Mike Singletary.

All divison matchups in Week 17 may have been the best thing commissioner Roger Goodell has ever done. Only a handful of teams will be resting starters in Week 17, and it created a bunch of interesting scenarios. One possible improvement would be to pit last season's #1/#2 and #3/#4 in Week 17. More chance at a meaningful game.

Miami (7-8) @ New England (13-2): Miami by 7. Dolphins usually split the Patriots, and New England will likely rest their starters, having already clinched homefield advantage in the AFC. Plus, Sparano is on the hotseat so the team will be motivated.Tampa Bay (9-6) @ New Orleans (11-4): New Orleans by 10. May be a long shot for the Falcons to drop to the Panthers, but stranger things have happened in the NFL. Something to play for. Although the Bucs also want to hold onto their playoff dreams by beating the Saints. Bucs need both Giants and Packers to lose, though.Carolina (2-13) @ Atlanta (12-3): Atlanta by 14. Atlanta needs this win to secure the division (and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs). Otherwise, they open the door for the Saints to take the NFC South.Minnesota (6-9) @ Detroit (5-10): Detroit by 3. No playoff implications, both teams playing for respect.Oakland (7-8) @ Kansas City (10-5): Kansas City by 3. Chiefs clinched the division after the Chargers' loss last week, but a Chiefs loss and a Colts win would allow the Colts to take the No. 3 seed from the Chiefs. Expect the Chiefs to play, but it will be close.Buffalo (4-11) @ New York Jets (10-5): New York J by 7. Jets have a chance to take No. 5 seed, so something to play for. Will likely not rest starters.Cincinnati (4-11) @ Baltimore (11-4): Baltimore by 7. Baltimore can take the AFC North from the Steelers if they win and Steelers lose.Pittsburgh (11-4) @ Cleveland (5-10): Pittsburgh by 3. The Steelers have to play and win or they may lose the division to Baltimore (which would actually knock them to the No. 6 seed if the Jets also win).Jacksonville (8-7) @ Houston (5-10): Jacksonville by 3. The Jaguars aren't eliminated, but they need the Colts to lose and to beat the Texans themselves.Dallas (5-10) @ Philadelphia (10-5): Dallas by 7. The Eagles are locked into the No. 3 seed, they have nothing to gain nor lose. They will likely rest their starters for the Wildcard round.New York Giants (9-6) @ Washington (6-9): New York G by 7. Giants still have shot at playoffs with a Packer loss, and the Redskins should not be a major threat. Still, they have played awful the last two weeks.San Diego (8-7) @ Denver (4-11): San Diego by 7. Game has no playoff implications.Arizona (5-10) @ San Francisco (5-10): San Francisco by 3. I like interim head coaches in their first game. I also like the 49ers better than the Cardinals.Chicago (11-4) @ Green Bay (9-6): Green Bay by 10. In the extremely unlikely event that BOTH the Saints and Falcons lose, the Bears will actually play to try to clinch home-field advantage. Otherwise, the Bears will have nothing to play for (already 100% securing either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed at the time this game is played), and may rest starters (or not play to full potential). Green Bay, on the other hand, is fighting for their playoff life. If they win, they're in (and play Philadelphia).Tennessee (6-9) @ Indianapolis (9-6): Indianapolis by 7. This game also depends on a previous game. If the Jaguars lose to the Texans and the Chiefs beat the Raiders, the Colts will have nothing to play for and will likely rest starters for the Wildcard round (which would likely lead to Titans win). However, if Jags win, the Colts will need to win to make the playoffs. I like Manning in that situation. Also, if the Chiefs lose, the Colts could take the No. 3 seed from them. St. Louis (7-8) @ Seattle (6-9): St. Louis by 3. Well this is it, the game of the week and destined matchup since like 6 weeks ago. Winner is in... and will have the distinct honor of being the worst team in playoffs. I wouldn't be able to stand it if a losing-record team made the playoffs, so I hope to god rookie Sam Bradford can lead the Rams to a win. Plus, at home, the Rams may have a shot at actually winning a playoff game. The Seahawks would be annihilated for sure.

Results of Last Week's Poll

Last week, I asked my readers "Who had the most exciting kick/punt return last week?" between DeSean Jackson's punt return in the final seconds to win against the Giants, offensive guard Dan Connolly's 71-yard rumble against the Packers, or Devin Hester's record setting punt return at the Vikings?

Apparently, my readers have a taste for the dramatic as DeSean Jackson's return won the poll with 66% of the vote. The other two amazing returns were tied at 16%.

If you will excuse me for making the obvious poll, this week's poll is "Which currently-out, but still alive, team is most likely to take a playoff spot in Week 17?" between the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or Seattle Seahawks?

First of all, Merry Christmas Eve to all! Have another update for the American Football Simulator for you guys... likely the last update for the 2010 version, Distribution 2010.4. Updates in this distribution:

Updated some simulation formulas for more realistic simulations.

Made computer AI slightly better and more based upon coach's aggression ratings.

Hope you enjoy! And once again - Merry Chirstmas! And of course... here are the player rankings of this distribution. Slight changes from distribution 2010.3, and did a major re-haul of the Fullback position.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

So at school, I have the honor of playing in my friend Kat's Pathfinder campaign in the Spring. It's actually a continuation of a past campaign, in which I play a character named Gafgarion. One of the perks of this campaign is that she allowed us to create our own Prestige class for our character. Yeah, I know. The fool! But in any event, Gafgarion decided to become a powerful Goblin Knight, abusing a resource there is plenty of: Goblins!

GOBLIN KNIGHT (Prestige Class)

After returning, Gafgarion and Alda went on many interesting adventures. None was more interesting to Gafgarion as when he was named King of the Goblins after defeating the dreaded Door of Oppression that held Goblins prisoner in a Human Village. Since then, Gafgarion has kept in contact with his Goblin minions, and even developed techniques to abuse this position of power.

Hit Die: 1d10

Skill Points: 4 + Int Modifier

Requirements:

BAB + 5

Must have helped the Goblin people in some way.

Must be able to speak Goblin.

You must hate doors.

4 ranks in Intimidate

Level

B.A.B

Fort

Ref

Will

Special

1st

(+1)

2

2

0

Summon Goblin, Door slayer, Form of the Goblin, Fast movement 40

2nd

(+2)

3

3

0

Fireball 1/day, Aura of the Goblin

3rd

(+3)

3

3

1

Bonus Feat, stronger Goblins

4th

(+4)

4

4

1

Goblin Bomb

5th

(+5)

4

4

1

Fireball 2/day, stronger Goblins

6th

(+6)

5

5

2

Aura of Goblin Regeneration, Bonus Feat

7th

(+7)

5

5

2

Stronger Goblins

8th

(+8)

6

6

2

Fireball 3/day

9th

(+9)

6

6

3

Bonus Feat, stronger Goblins

10th

(+10)

7

7

3

Aura of Disgust

Summon Goblin (Sp): A number of times per day equal to 1/2 his Goblin Knight level + Charisma modifier, a Goblin Knight can spend a full-round action to summon a CR 1/3 Goblin adjacent to his position. The Goblin may later be unsummoned with another full-round action. The Goblin Knight may have no more living Goblins under his control than 1/2 his Goblin Knight level + Charisma modifier. Goblins summoned this way by the Goblin Knight follow every order from the Goblin Knight without question, even orders that will endanger the Goblin. Every two levels thereafter, summoned Goblins become stronger. They receive +2 HP, +1 BAB, and +1 AC.

Door Slayer (Su): At 1st level, the Goblin Knight unlocks the magical mysteries involved in destroying doors. A number of times per day equal to 3 + his Goblin Knight level, the Goblin Knight may destroy target door within 30 feet. Any non-magical door is instantly destroyed. Magical doors receive a DC 25 Will Save. Doors that are actually creatures (like Mimics) do not die but instead take 10d6 damage (DC 20 Reflex halves). That's what they get for trying to hide as a door when Gafgarion is around. The fools.

Form of the Goblin (Su): The Goblin Knight is considered a Goblin in addition to its existing Creature types for effects that are affected by Race.

Fireball (Sp): At 2nd level and every 3 levels afterwards, the Goblin Knight gains one casting of Fireball each day. The Goblin Knight uses his Charisma as his casting stat, and the caster level is equal to his Goblin Knight level.

Aura of the Goblin (Su): At 2nd level, the Goblin Knight and each Goblin ally within 30 feet gains a +2 morale bonus to AC and Base Attack Bonus. This bonus only applies if there is a Goblin ally within 30 feet. This ability functions only while the Goblin Knight is conscious.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, the Goblin Knight may gain a Fighter bonus feat.

Goblin Bomb (Sp): At 4th level, the Goblin Knight may use a Fireball casting and sacrifice two allied adjacent Goblins to shoot a Goblin Bomb. A Goblin Bomb works in the same way as Fireball, but does an extra 2d6 Fire Damage and 2d6 Force Damage.

Aura of Goblin Regeneration (Su): At 6th level, the Goblin Knight and each Goblin ally within 30 feet gains Regenerate 2. This bonus only applies if there is a Goblin ally within 30 feet. This ability functions only while the Goblin Knight is conscious.

Aura of Disgust (Su): At 10th level, the Goblin Knight and each Goblin ally within 30 feet gains temporary hitpoints equal to the number of Goblin allies within 30 feet of the Goblin Knight. In addition, each non-Goblin enemy within 30 feet loses temporary hit-points equal to the number of Goblin allies within 30 feet of the Goblin Knight. This loss of hit-points becomes permanent after 2 rounds. This ability functions only while the Goblin Knight is conscious.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I love Goblins. They are the cutest, devastating, and destructible little critters ever! They are so cute I want to take them home with me... and in Magic: The Gathering, I can. As you could probably tell, Goblins are my favorite type of Creature in Magic: The Gathering and most fantasy-themed games, and I have devoted my time to become an expert in all things Goblins! After experimenting with most of the good Goblin cards in the game, by running nothing but mono-Red Goblins for years, I will unveil the fruits of my wisdom with my list of the Top 10 mono-Red Goblin cards ever printed (as they apply to Goblin decks, there are some good Goblins that don't belong in Goblin decks)!

10. Skirk Fire Marshal - Skirk Fire Marshall is as devastating as Goblins come. While the five Goblins may seem like a lot, you will quickly see that, when playing a Goblin deck, the five Goblins are the least of your worries. With this guy, timing is the key! He has an immensely powerful effect... 10 damage to everything. All creatures, and all players. Basically, he is a nuclear bomb waiting to happen. Goblins have a hard time finishing off opponents. Early game, they will be able to devastate enemies with their numbers but as soon as Goblins have big baddies to worry about, they'll need some way to win, and Skirk Fire Marshal gives them that way. As long as you get the opponent to below 10, Skirk Fire Marshal can come in and be a winner. Also, a lot of fun with his OTK combo with Mogg Maniac (who sadly did not make the Top 10, but I guess this acts as his honorable mention). He's also useful if you need to clear an opponent's field in a flash... And best of all, Skirk Fire Marshall is smart enough to get out of the way, so his Protection from Red will save him from his own effect!

9. Warren Instigator - This guy may be an attempt to clone another certain Goblin I know and love (you'll find him further down this list), but he has his own badass advantages, too. While we all know a 1/1 for 2 isn't exactly stellar, Double strike helps this little guy compete with bigger baddies that may want to do him harm! Double strike helps even more when combined with Goblin buff cards, his damage potential increases by 2 for every 1 power he gets! Not to mention Double strike also gives him by definition First strike, so many times when buffed, he'll be able to kill some threats without threat to himself. And unlike the card he was a clone of, Warren Instigator's Double strike allows him to put two Goblins into play when unblocked as opposed to just one, since damage with Double strike is calculated twice. While the 2-cost means he's a little slow and opponents may have something to block a 1/1 at that point, Warren Instigator has found his way into many Goblin decks.

8. Goblin Chieftain - A worthy replacement for my beloved Goblin King, who unfortunately became a victim of power creep, Chieftain offers quite a few benefits for a Goblin deck. First, and probably most important, he will provide a +1/+1 buff to all Goblins you control! Opponents playing creatures just larger than your poor little Goblins? Chieftain comes in and helps you out there! Works especially well with the #9 card, Warren Instigator, since it bumps his potential to 4 damage a turn, making him much more threatening. Secondly, Haste will allow your Goblins to attack the first turn the come to the field, quite useful for sneak attacks and will always make your opponents think twice about attacking during their turn... because they never know what Goblins are waiting for them during your next turn! Mine as well point out what makes him better than the King. Chieftan has two advantages over Goblin King... First, Goblin King will buff all Goblins, including enemy Goblins. Chieftain is smart enough to know that it is in his best interest to only buff allied Goblins! Secondly, Haste is arguably better than the situational Mountainwalk, but you may want to keep a Goblin King or two in your side-board just in case you face another Red deck!

7. Goblin Piledriver - Goblin Piledriver is the worthy leader of any Goblin assault! At first glance, you may think his mere 1 power is underwhelming, but make no mistake, his ability fixes that little problem! Goblin Piledriver benefits from lots and lots of Goblin allies, and in Goblin decks, that is something that is a surplus. For each other Goblin attacking, Piledriver receives a nifty +2 Power on his own attack! And when you consider how many Goblins a Goblin deck is capable of cranking out, that's no small boost! Just one other attacker, and he's a 3/2. Two more, 5/2. Three, 7/2. Four, 9/2. Five, 11/2. You get the idea. He's a must for pretty much any Goblin assault! And while you're right, he will likely be blocked by most opponents, that Power is enough to take down pretty much any creature and it will allow the rest of your horde attack with a less chance of being blocked. Finally, to put icing on the cake, Protection from Blue helps Piledriver even more when playing decks with Blue... not allowing him to be blocked by Blue creatures, and protecting him from being bounced or tapped by annoying Blue control cards.

6. Goblin Ringleader - After playing a Goblin deck for awhile you will discover their greatest weakness... running out of steam. While Goblins get off to a fast start, playing creatures very quickly and attacking right away, eventually your opponent will be able to defeat your starting Goblins and you will find that your hand has been completely depleted! That's where this guy comes in, and he's a necessity for any winning Goblin deck. Goblin Ringleader gives Goblin decks drawpower- something they desperately need. Bummed that your hand is completely depleted, having cast all your beloved Goblins? Be bummed no more, Ringleader will save the day! When he comes into play, he'll bring Goblin reinforcements with him. Any Goblins lurking within the top 4 cards of your library will be instantly added to your hand! Now that is a refreshing ability! If you don't want your Goblin deck running out of Goblins, you'll want to bring four of this guy, and you'll be glad you did.

5. Siege-Gang Commander - Siege-Gang Commander is a special Goblin, a true Commander if you don't mind my pointing out the obvious! The special thing about Siege-Gang Commander is that he's not just a Goblin - he's four! When this badboy comes into play, he brings three 1/1 Goblin minions with him. And as you can probably tell by now, more Goblins are always a good thing! While the 5 casting cost may seem a bit steep, no worries, there are plenty of ways to cheat this guy on the battlefield. Remember Warren Instigator from earlier? Well this big guy is his best friend. The next card will also help you get him out, as well as the card which Instigator is a clone of. And of course, there is also Aether Vial, one of the best Goblin-helping artifacts ever printed. While the main thing this guy does is Goblin swarm, the second effect can be loads of help too! For 2 mana and sacrificing one of your many Goblins, he can do 2 damage to a creature or player. This can be used to finish off an opponent, or simply sacrificing blocked Goblins to finish off a creature in an assault. On a side note, you really gotta love the art of that card, it shows really what this guy is doing!

4. Goblin Warchief - You might be thinking... "Hey, didn't we see a guy like this before?" Well yes, you're thinking of our #8 Goblin, Goblin Chieftain. The Warchief, like the Chieftain, also helps Goblins everywhere, and I actually like him a little better. Like Cheiftain, Goblin Warchief gives all Goblins Haste. While this may seem a little redundant to have both in a deck, it really isn't. The more ways you can give your little Goblins Haste so that they may overwhelm opponents quickly is a good thing. Warchief doesn't buff Goblins like Chieftain does, though, instead he makes them cheaper, which helps you get your hordes out even quicker. Each Goblin costs 1 colorless mana less to play (which stacks with other Warchiefs, by the way). This means that your big Siege-Gang Commander only costs 4 when one Warchief is in play, and 3 when there are two. Piledriver only costs a single Red mana (ridiculous!). Ringleaders and the next card can be played for cheap, too! He really helps Goblin decks swarm, which produces wins! Surely, a must-have in all Goblin decks in 4s.

3. Goblin Matron - The Goblins are a very forward-people for a fantasy race. Unlike other so-called "good" fantasy races that still force women to wear clothes, Goblin women are some of the most important in their tribe for their Goblin breeding abilities! That's right, all of those Goblins you have used to be Baby Goblins, and they had to come from somewhere! And that somewhere is female Goblins, the Goblin Matrons! Goblin Matron is a must-have for any Goblin deck because it gives you search power. I have her ranked at #3, but others argue she may actually be the best Goblin in the game. Either way, she's pretty damn close. Need some Goblin really badly based on the situation? Matron will aid you with that. You can use her to grab any Goblin in your deck depending on the situation you find yourself in (for example, Skirk Fire Marshal for the win). And on top of that, a 1/1 Goblin after her fetching out another Goblin isn't bad! As you have seen so far, Goblin decks have a big need for Goblin bodies.

2. Gempalm Incinerator - He's probably the one Goblin you won't see much on the battlefield. On the contrary, Gelmpalm Incinerator is best when in your hand. While in troubling times you CAN use him as a 2/1 Goblin for 3, his best use is his Cycling ability. As most Magic players know, Cycling is an ability that appears on several cards in Magic: The Gathering that allows you to pay a (usually small) mana fee to ditch that card to grab another. However, Gempalm Incinerator has another effect besides simply Cycling... when he is cycled, he does damage to a creature equal to the number of Goblins in play! And in a Goblin deck, you usually have A LOT of Goblins in play! He's both the best Goblin removal AND the second-best Goblin draw-power in the game. To emphasize my point, think of him as an Instant that is compatible with Goblin Matron and Goblin Ringleader that costs 1R and reads "Draw 1 card. Then, deal damage to target creature equal to the number of Goblins in play." That is one HELL of an instant. If you don't have these in your Goblin deck, better get some, because they make pretty much any Goblin deck run much more smoothly.

1. Goblin Lackey - And here you have it... the game's #1 Goblin... and he is the least expensive of any Goblin on this list. He is the card that was "cloned" into Warren Instigator, but some play-testing will tell you that he's much, much better! Simply put, Lackey is all about speed. At 1 mana, he's a first-turn drop. And if your opponent does not have a creature also out before he can attack, Lackey will be able to swarm your opponent with Goblins before his 2nd turn. This guy loves Siege-Gang Commander, Goblin Ringleader, Goblin Warchief and Chieftan, hell, pretty much any other Goblin. While he lacks the Double strike ability of his predecessor, the 1 cost of Lackey makes him much better than Instigator could ever dream to be. Put Lackeys in a large assault (especially with Piledrivers) and your opponent may have no choice but to take the chance and let Lackey hit them. He's a great early-game card, and even a great late-game card. Give him Haste and he'll surprise an opponent who did not leave a blocker.Easily the best Goblin card of all time, a true staple for Goblin builds. There is no downside to this card, especially if you can get him Turn 1.

And to end my post, I will post my own Legacy-legal Goblin deck. It's quite powerful with its swarming, and has a late-game OTK that I use in stall matches when necessary, using Matron to get the necessary pieces (Skirk Fire Marshall + Mogg Maniac).

There were plenty of surprises and amazing moments in Week 15, many teams who were underdogs even by my standards won, and there were quite a few last-minute finishes (Cough, Desean Jackson's punt return for a TD to beat the Giants). Let's see how all this shapes up my Power Rankings.

1. Atlanta Falcons (12-2, +0): All Atlanta does is win. Another dominating win, even if it was against an NFC West opponent. Matt Ryan is developing into a great Quarterback, and Atlanta looks unstoppable. With a Saints loss, they are very close to clinching up this division. Then, we may see the clash everyone wants to see: the Falcons and the Patriots.

2. New England Patriots (12-2, +0): The Patriots have stringed together quite a few impressive wins as of late. When saw the difficulty of their last 5 games, I doubted they would be able to win them all, but they did. Tom Brady is looking like a man who is absolutely determined to get another Super Bowl ring. And if he keeps this level of play up- he might certainly get one.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4, +1): Talk about a close call! The Eagles had absolutely no business winning that game against the Giants, but they did. Their offense came alive in the 4th quarter to overcome a 21-point deficit for the win. Now, that is impressive. Even more impressive was the botched punt return turned into punt return touchdown by DeSean Jackson that put the nail in the coffin for the Giants. They're calling it "The Miracle of the New Meadowlands", and it deserves that illustrious title. Wow.

4. Baltimore Ravens (10-4, +2): It hasn't been pretty for the Ravens defense lately, but they still do what they need to do to win games. Last week, it was a interception returned for a touchdown in overtime. This week, the Ravens defense picked off Drew Brees to win the game. And the Baltimore offense is looking better every week. With a Steelers loss, the division is still up for grabs - and a bye week may be a perfect motivator for this Ravens team.

5. New York Giants (9-5, +2): Despite the collapse, you can't help thinking that this Giants team has potential. They were up 31-10 against the Eagles at one point, a tribute to the good play they are capable of. Unfortanutely, such potential was met with dismal defeat as they simply rolled over in the 4th quarter, allowing a huge comeback. The Giants may want to blame rookie Punter Matt Dodge for not kicking it out of bounds during the final punt, but really their loss goes a lot further than that. The Giants as a whole lost that game. They should've never allowed such a ridiculous comeback to occur.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4,-3): The Jets have not been able to get an offensive touchdown for 12 Quarters... until they played and beat the Steelers. Right from the start it looked grim, as the Jets returner Brad Smith returned the kick for a touchdown. The Steelers were simply not able to score enough points against the Jets, which has been a bane for them all season (if there ever was one). They need to rebound to take back control and momentum for the AFC North.

7. New Orleans Saints (10-4, -2): While there is no shame losing to a good team like the Ravens, Drew Brees has me worried. The interceptions this season have been numerous, and they are starting to cost the Saints games they really should have won. He better get those interceptions under control - since one bad interception in the playoffs means your season is over.

8. Green Bay Packers (8-6, +0): Despite having to start Matt Flynn over Aaron Rodgers against the Patriots, they still played very well. For a few minutes, I actually thought there were going to pull off the upset in Foxborough, but Flynn's lack of experience caught up with him in the last moments of the game. Now they really have to work hard for an NFC wildcard... as they play a critical match against the team they have to steal that spot from, the New York Giants. Hopefully for them, Aaron Rodgers will be able to come back from his concussion.

9. New York Jets (10-4, +0): Despite a win in a tough Pittsburgh environment, I still have to worry about the Jets' lack of offensive production. They took 12 Quarters to score a single offensive touchdown- which is unacceptable by an NFL offense's standards. The defense is good and has kept them in (and won) games, but they will need an offense if they want a chance in the playoffs. Mark Sanchez needs to step up.

10. Chicago Bears (10-4,+1):Talk about taking a division! The Bears, coming off being humiliated by the Patriots, humiliated the Vikings on Monday night to clinch the NFC North. Now they just need to keep winning so they can keep a first-round bye. They have the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Eagles, which helps, so they control their own destiny in whether or not they get a 1st-round bye.

11. San Diego Chargers (8-6, -1): Keeping their division hopes alive, the Chargers were able to defeat the 49ers last Sunday. Unfortanutely for them, the Chiefs also won and so did the major two contenders for an AFC wildcard, the Jets and the Ravens. They need to win out, something they can do, but they also need some help if they want to sniff the playoffs.

12. Indianapolis Colts (8-6, +1): They won the game they really needed to win, the critical rematch against the Jaguars. Now, they are #1 in the division, but they will need to keep winning. One Colts loss with a Jaguars win will give the division back to Jacksonville, but when Peyton Manning controls his own destiny, my money's on him. The Colts look good.

13. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5, +1): Ah, that's better. The Chiefs look so much better offensively with Matt Cassel opposed to that bum, Brodie Croyle. In any case, the Chiefs won which was critical to keep ahead of the Chargers in the AFC West. Now they just need to keep winning and they'll cruise towards their first playoff appearance in ... a long time.

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6, -2): It's hard to win in Indianapolis but this loss really hurt. Not only does this give Indianapolis control of their own destiny with two games to play, but Jacksonville doesn't really even have much of a wildcard chance in the AFC. They need to hope that the Colts falter at some point, and they win their final two games.

15. Oakland Raiders (7-7, +2): Well, they are showing some late-season spurts of talent. They ran right over the Denver Broncos, not allowing the Broncos rookie Quarterback Tim Tebow upset them in his first start. The Raiders are a solid team when they want to be, but easily one of the least consistent team in the NFL. Next season, I think they have a good chance to make a run.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6, -1): I think any playoff hopes this team had came to an abrupt end with that disappointing loss to Detroit. Still, the Buccaneers can rest knowing they made a heavy improvement over next season, and Josh Freeman is developing to be a solid NFL starter. He kind of reminds me of a young Donovan McNabb.

17. Dallas Cowboys (5-9, +4): It may have been a little too close for comfort for the Cowboys, but they were able to return the favor that the Redskins gave them Week 1 to get a win in Week 15. This team is motivated under their temporary head coach, and they are playing as good of football as anybody. Opponents beware- this is NOT the Cowboys team of earlier in the season!

18. Miami Dolphins (7-7, -2): Finally, Brandon Marshall looked like the Brandon Marshall the Dolphins thought they were getting in the off-season but that's just about the only good thing I can say about the Dolphins' loss at home against the Bills. Besides that, the Dolphins were humiliated. After the game, Marshall personally apologized to the Dolphins defense for letting them down this season. As they should - as the defense has gotten better and better as the season has gone on, but the offense has regressed to the point of ineptitude, especially due to the injuries. Oh well, there is always next season.

19. Tennessee Titans (6-8, +6): This was a big win for the Titans. You may think its silly to call a win "big" when the team is eliminated from playoff contention, but it really was nonetheless. The Titans were the definition of a demoralized team, but they were able to recollect themselves against the Texans. I really do hope Jeff Fisher is back for him, he is a good coach.

20. Cleveland Browns (5-9, +0): Their loss in the Ohio Bowl shows this team still has plenty of room for improvement, but they are on the right track. Eric Mangini took a team with little to no talent or confidence and turned them into a team fighting in every game they play. Still a little puzzling how they lost to the Bengals, but we'll figure that out later. The Browns will be a good team in the future, and going into next season.

21. Minnesota Vikings (5-9, -3): Honestly, I'm somewhat puzzled why Favre tried to start against the Bears last night when he didn't have his streak to play for anymore. Maybe he was trying to give his old team, the Packers, a chance at the division? In any case, he got knocked out and rookie Joe Webb did absolutely nothing to help the Vikings, as they got completely demolished by the Bears. Poor Favre... is this finally the last we will see of him? Or will he make another miraculous and puzzling start this season?

22. Houston Texans (5-9, -3): Okay, so after losing two in a row to clinch another losing season, will the Texans finally fire Gary Kubiak? The defense of the Texans has been awful this season, and I've called it since the beginning. If the pass defense was just a little better, we may be talking about the Texans still in it for a playoff spot but it did not turn out that way. Kubiak is not the man to lead the Texans to their first playoff appearance.

23. St. Louis Rams (6-8, -1): Soo... it is now clinched that whoever wins the NFC West will not have a winning record. Will the Rams be able to win out so the division winner has at least an 8-8 record? Or will we see a team with a losing record make the playoffs for the first time in... well, a long time? This Rams team is just not very good, but they are better than last season. They are in a division of bad teams which gives them a chance.

24. Washington Redskins (5-9, -1): Benching Donovan McNabb after that huge contract extension may have seemed like a bad idea, but I don't think it really was. First of all, McNabb has a clause in his contract that allows him to be cut at the end of this season. I have no doubt the Redskins will exercise their right to activate this clause. And since their season is over anyway, why not see what you have in your two other guys, Rex Grossman and John Beck? And if you lose games... whatever, at least you have a better draft pick next year.

25. Seattle Seahawks (6-8, -1): The Seahawks are the other team still vying for a playoff birth in the NFC West. They had a bit more of an excuse than the Rams, since the Hawks were playing against the NFC's best team, the Falcons. Still, this team's lack of offensive production is staggering. Matt Hasselbeck has not looked good for the past couple of years, they even sent in Charlie Whitehurst to finish up the game against the Falcons.

26. Detroit Lions (4-10, +1): Good win by the Lions, finishing off a Tampa Bay team still hoping for a playoff birth. They came a long way this season, and now they will play another demoralized team, the Miami Dolphins, in a game they could win. Detroit is coming off hot towards the end of this season. Something that I like to see from this team.

27. Buffalo Bills (4-10, +1): Ryan Fitzpatrick may not have the best numbers, but I think he has finally found where he is meant to be in this Chan Gailey Bills offense. He looks loads better than Trent Edwards, and led the Bills to a key victory in Miami. There were a lot of doubts about this Chan Gailey guy and how well he would be able to command this Buffalo team, but he has done a fine job, I must admit.

28. San Francisco 49ers (5-9, -2): So the week after Alex Smith looks like a new man, he looks exactly the way I remember him: Terrible. The sad part is, a win would've kept them in the division hunt, as sad as that sounds. I don't know what will happen to Mike Singletary in the off-season, I kind of have mixed feelings. Part of me sees a passionate coach who deserves another chance, but another part of me sees simply a mediocre coach. We'll see.

29. Cincinnati Bengals (3-11, +2): Now THIS looks like the Bengals team that we were missing from last season, and even without Terrell Owens! It makes you start to wonder if Owens actually hurt this team. Not from a distraction standpoint, Owens was actually quite cooperative this season, but the lack of Owens forced the Bengals to do what they do best offensively: run with Cedric Benson. If they get back to the power run game, the Bengals could end this season on a high note.

30. Arizona Cardinals (4-10, -1): Losing to the worst team in football is not a good way to end this disappointing season on a high note. Still, they will have a good draft pick so maybe they will have a chance at Andrew Luck of the Panthers don't snag him up. There are also some intriguing likely-Free Agent Quarterbacks next off-season that the Cardinals could look at including Carson Palmer, Kyle Orton, and Donovan McNabb. The Cardinals are a Quarterback away from winning the NFC West, in my opinion.

31. Denver Broncos (3-11, -1): Despite a loss, not a bad start for the rookie Tim Tebow. It was so impressive, in fact, that the Broncos have decided to stick with him likely for the remainder of the season. Can't say I disprove, I was even a Tebow doubter during the draft but he looked impressive in his first start. Mine as well see what you have in the rookie. You already know what you have in Kyle Orton.

32. Carolina Panthers (2-12, +0): I can't believe the Panthers got another win this season! Still, their win does nothing to prove to me that they aren't the worst team in football. Maybe if they win their final two games I may change my mind, but considering how incredibly unlikely that is, nevermind. There was a report that came out saying coach John Fox has already been fired but has been told to finish out the rest of the season... Yikes. Bill Cowher to the rescue?

Carolina (2-12) @ Pittsburgh (10-4): Pittsburgh by 14. I think it is safe to say we will see a Steeler rebound here, unless the Panthers are serious about upsetting teams for the rest of the season. The Steelers are far from the Cardinals, though. Shouldn't even be close. Gives me an excuse not to listen to the obnoxious Thursday Night football staff.

Dallas (5-9) @ Arizona (4-10): Dallas by 7. After their loss against the Panthers, there is no team that the Cardinals can't lose to, in my opinion. Dallas has been hot late in this season, so I think they will be able to easily snag up a win here. On a side note, I really like the concept of Christmas football. What a great way to make Christmas feel like the best holiday of all time, Thanksgiving. Unfortanutely, it is an NFL Network game between two terrible teams, but still. Football + Holidays = good.

New York J (10-4) @ Chicago (10-4): Chicago by 3. The Bears may have wrapped up the division, but they still want to play for that first-round bye. And the Bears defense has been a monster this season... and certainly have the potential to eat the Jets offense for breakfast. I like the Bears in this matchup, but the Jets also have a defense so this really could go either way.

I just think this is too funny not to deserve some attention.

New England (12-2) @ Buffalo (4-10): New England by 7. Unluckily for the Bills, the Patriots still have something to play for. With a win here, the Patriots will clinch homefield advantage in the playoffs, something worth playing for for sure! But the Bills have been hot and they are playing in Buffalo, where the Bills love to play. If the Bills pull off an upset, I will be the first one to give out a smile.

Tennessee (6-8) @ Kansas City (9-5): Kansas City by 3. After the Titans' big morale victory over the Texans, I would be scared if I were the Chiefs. Still, the Chiefs have played their best football in Arrowhead this season and with the division on the line, I do not believe the Chiefs will falter. It will be a close battle. They will need to find a way to contain Chris Johnson, who has been very good on the road this season.

Washington (5-9) @ Jacksonville (8-6): Jacksonville by 7. The bit of good news for the Jaguars after their loss with the Colts is that they get the Rex Grossman-led Redskins this week. The Jaguars should have no problem defeating them at home, but you never know. The Redskins came close to a victory last week in Dallas...

Has Brandon Marshall finally arrived in Miami?

Detroit (4-10) @ Miami (7-7): Miami by 3. Will be a close game, and the Dolphins are playing at home which has been a bane for them. Still, the Dolphins seem to be content winning one, then losing one, then winning one, etc. Therefore, since they lost last week, they should win this week. Or so that streak goes. Maybe playoff elimination will help them a bit, since that stress has now been snatched from their shoulders. In any event, this could go either way. Miami is 1-6 at home. But I do like the Miami defense to handle this Lions offense.

San Francisco (5-9) @ St. Louis (6-8): St. Louis by 3. This is it for the Rams, they have to win this one to really lay claim to their spot as NFC West champions. A win here would also allow the possibility of them being .500 when the season is over. I don't know what I'd do if I saw a 7-9 playoff team... since I like this playoff system currently and that would almost certainly push for the owners to make a change.

Baltimore (10-4) @ Cleveland (5-9): Baltimore by 3. The Ravens need to be careful, the Browns have played up or down to the level of their opponents this season and were likely looking past the Bengals to the Ravens in this matchup. For the Ravens, they must win this game if they want a shot at becoming AFC North champions with a shot at a first-round bye. Important game for the Ravens, but one they ought to win.

Houston (5-9) @ Denver (3-11): Houston by 3. Well, Tim Tebow gets to pad his stats against the league's worst pass defense, but the Texans should be able to win this game in a close shoot-out. Arian Foster ought to have a good game, which will be nice for fantasy owners in their championship games.

Indianapolis (8-6) @ Oakland (7-7): Indianapolis by 7. As well as the Raiders have played this season, my money is on Peyton Manning with the division on the line. The Raiders' pass defense has not looked promising lately, so Peyton should have a big day. Hopefully that is accompanied by a big day from Darren McFadden, which would be good for my fantasy playoff chances.

San Diego (8-6) @ Cincinnatti (3-11): San Diego by 10. The Chargers have no room for error, they must win this game. The Bengals are coming off a win that made them look like the Bengals of last season, so they may be a challenging opponent. But leave it to the Chargers to find a way to win this game to keep their post-season hopes alive.

Seattle (6-8) @ Tampa Bay (8-6): Tampa Bay by 3. I don't think the Bucs will drop two in a row, but I may be wrong. The Seahawks are still in division contention, so both teams will have plenty to play for. At home, I like the Bucs, but the Seahawks could easily steal this game. You know what, I would actually prefer if the Hawks did win (as well as the Rams) since if the Rams and Seahawks both win, it would clinch that the NFC West champion will have at the very least an 8-8 record.

As well as Matt Flynn played, the Packers need Aaron Rodgers.

New York G (9-5) @ Green Bay (8-6): Green Bay by 7. Huge game by both teams. Green Bay will be eliminated with a loss, but a win here will put them in position to take the wildcard away from the Giants. For the Giants, they need to lick their wounds and not allow the heartbreaking loss at the Meadowlands last Sunday keep them from playing hard against the Packers. This is the biggest game of the season for both of these teams. A virtual playoff game.

Minnesota (5-9) @ Philadlephia (10-4): Philadelphia by 10. The Eagles will clinch the division with a win here, and I think they will do it, especially of Joe Webb has to start for the Vikings again. Look for Michael Vick to expose this Vikings defense and the Eagles defense to destroy Joe Webb as much as the Bears did... this game will be a killer for the Vikings.

New Orleans (10-4) @ Atlanta (12-2): Atlanta by 7. What a game for Monday night! Will the Falcons be able to clinch the division (and home-field advantage through the playoffs) from the World Champions? It'll be a good game, for sure. But being at the Georgia Dome will help the Falcons a lot. I think the Falcons will win here.

Results of Last Week's Poll

Last week, I asked my readers "How long will Brett Favre's consecutive games streak of 297 games last?" between Peyton Manning will break it, It will be broken eventually but not by Peyton, or It will never be broken?

It was actually a very close poll but Peyton Manning will break it won with 42% of the vote. The other two were tied in second, with 28% of the vote. Peyton Manning surely does have a chance to break this record, we'll see what happens.Personally, I voted that Peyton Manning will break it. He's simply just as durable as Favre and just as important to that Colts football team.

There was a lot of exciting kick/punt returns last week so this week's poll is "Who had the most exciting kick/punt return last week?" between DeSean Jackson's punt return in the final seconds to win against the Giants, offensive guard Dan Connolly's 71-yard rumble against the Packers, or Devin Hester's record setting punt return at the Vikings?

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

While we got some performances that we expected from most teams last Sundays, some teams really sucked last Sunday... Teams that are in serious playoff contention, no less. Maybe we didn't know as much as we originally thought about some of these teams. Let's see how some of these teams' blunders will affect this week's power rankings.

1. Atlanta Falcons (11-2, +0): Well, Atlanta did exactly what you would expect from the league's #1 team going against the league's #32 team. Michael Turner had a monster game getting 3 touchdowns, and Matt Ryan was able to sustain some nice passing, too. On defense, they were able to easily contain Carolina's offense except for a single drive. Not only do they put themselves in an even better position to get home-field advantage in the NFC, but they further add to their case for being the NFL's best team with a dominating win.

2. New England Patriots (11-2, +1): What is with this Bill Bellichick Patriots team in the snow? They have been absolutely dominant as they bamboozle the Bears 36-7. The defense was able to easily contain Jay Cutler and the struggling Bears offense, and it was a major surprise how well even Tom Brady was able to perform against a defense as sound as the Bears'. Impressive win, and the Patriots become the first team to clinch a playoff birth.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3, +1): Troy Polamalu is the sole reason why this team did not succeed last season and boy, has he come back with a vengeance this season! Nice job by the Steelers to avoid an trap game by sweeping the Bengals. Surely, this returns the favor after the Bengals beat them twice last season to take the division. This year, Pittsburgh may be in position to be able to put the division title in cruise control.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (9-4, -2): They still have easily the most dynamic and scary offenses in the NFL behind Michael Vick, but their defense seems to have really struggled as of late. I don't know if it is due to some of the offensive injuries they have sustained or something wrong with the system, but I would be very concerned with how easily teams have been able to move the ball against the Eagles lately. They need to patch up their defensive effort to stay in control of the NFC East.

5. New Orleans Saints (10-3, +4): The time that the Super Bowl champions have been under the radar has come to an end. The Saints appear to be returning to their Super Bowl form - their running backs are beginning to get healthy, Drew Brees is playing better, and the defense is, quite simply, playing good solid football. They are beginning to blow out teams again, a good sign from a team struggling to keep up with the Falcons.

6. Baltimore Ravens (9-4, -1): Although winning pretty doesn't really mean anything in terms of record and playoffs, the Ravens did not win pretty against the Texans on Monday night. Somehow, they blew a 28-7 lead to allow the Texans to tie it at 28-28 to force the game into overtime. Luckily for them, they won the overtime coinflip, which gave their defense a chance to rest and for Josh Wilson to make the game-winning pick six.

7. New York Giants (9-4, -1): Nice solid win for the Giants on Monday night, after the fiasco that happened with where and when they were finally going to play the Vikings. While it was a solid wins, there are some questions I have. First, Eli Manning and his interceptions this season has been a problem. Luckily they are still 9-4, but he doesn't get better it will cost them. Secondly, Ahmad Bradshaw's injury looks like it could be serious, and he is a major part of that Giants rushing attack.

8. Green Bay Packers (8-5, +0): A tough loss to Detroit after losing Aaron Rodgers for the game on a concussion he sustained on a scramble. This loss really hurt them badly, since the team was already struggling to hold onto an NFC wildcard spot. Now, they look to a brutal matchup against New England next weekend with a possibility of not having Aaron Rodgers... they better hope they can get him back, Matt Flynn's chances of beating the Patriots is slim .

9. New York Jets (9-4, -2): If I were a Jets fan, I would be highly concerned after dropping two division matchups in a row. This offense has been abysmal as of late... Mark Sanchez is struggling to make accurate throws and making questionable decisions, his receivers are dropping passes, and the offensive line is having a hard time picking up blitzes and run blocking recently. Unless they can get some confidence and production on that side of the ball, we may see this team go 9-7 again with such a dangerous schedule ahead of them.

10. San Diego Chargers (7-6, +3): Go figure... the week after we are talking about the Chargers dropping their season, we're talking about how they just saved their season. They are still trailing the Chiefs for the AFC West, but after demolishing them 31-0, it would be hard to see them not AFC West champions if they can win out. They proved they were the best team in the AFC West last Sunday.

11. Chicago Bears (9-4, -1):Well, I don't know what exactly to think of the Bears' loss last Sunday to the New England Patriots. The only thing I can think of is they simply did not show up to play against the Patriots, frozen solid by the blizzard they were forced to play in. Still, as a NFL team, you have to play in those conditions. They were exposed and abused... and now they will need to rebound to stay a step ahead of the Packers.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5, +0): They just keep winning, even if it is pretty ugly. The defense did not play well, they struggled to stop both the pass and the run but the offense was very effective against a very stout Raiders defense, scoring 38 points for the victory. A big part of their success has to do with their resurgent run attack. Rashad Jennings and Maurice Jones-Drew have become quite an effective duo for this team.

13. Indianapolis Colts (7-6, +1): At 7-6, they are extremely lucky to still be in control of their own destiny. Luckily for them, the AFC South was not the division we thought it would be this season. Now they face a criticial AFC South showdown against the Jaguars. If they lose this one, they can kiss this season goodbye. If they win, they may put themselves as a favorite in the division.

14. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5, -3): Good news about Matt Cassell - he was able to return to the team on Monday. He still remains questionable for the next game, but if you are the Chiefs, you better hope he can play. We saw the disaster that will be in store for them against San Diego if Brodie Croyle keeps starting. If Cassell is forced to sit out another couple games, the Chiefs will be out of it. With him, they may be able to hold on for a playoff birth.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5, +0): They may have only been able to hold on by a botched extra point, but they did hold on. However, their play against the Redskins was for the most part inexcusable. Ryan Torain had their way with them, he could not be stopped. Josh Freeman struggled to get anything going offensively. They are still in contention for a wildcard, which is good, but they won't be for long if they allow these problems to continue.

16. Miami Dolphins (7-6, +0): It's a darn shame that such great defensive play from this defense under Mike Nolan will go to waste due to abysmal offensive play. The Dolphins are ranked 31st in Socring offense this season... only Carolina has scored less points per game. Granted, there have been offensive injuries, but the offense was below average even before those injuries. Chad Henne is not the answer at Quarterback, and the interior offensive line play has been horrid all season, limiting what they can do on the ground.

17. Oakland Raiders (6-7, +1): Darren McFadden. Wow, has he turned into a premiere back for these Oakland Raiders. He torched the Jaguars all day. Too bad it did not translate into a win... I do not know what the deal was with the Raiders defense and how they played against the Jaguars last Sunday. Now they find themselves 3rd in the division, and they need some help if they want to win the division.

18. Minnesota Vikings (5-8, -1): If you did not see the footage of the Metrodome crumbling down due to the snow, you have to watch it. It's both astonishing and amazing. I guess this gives fire tot he Vikings' cause of getting a new stadium, that's about the only positive thing to happen to them this week. They had to play a home game in a hostile Detroit environment, got dominated by the New York Giants, and, oh yeah, Brett Favre is gone. Honestly, I still can't believe he's gone... we now have an NFL without both Brett Favre and John Madden. It feels so... empty.

19. Houston Texans (5-8, +1): Once again, the Texans come back from a huge deficit just to lose the game anyway. It's really becomming the calling card of the Texans this season. After battling back from a 7-28 hole you would expect Matt Shaub to finish a little more spectacularly than the anti-climatic pick six he threw in overtime. Just another disappointing season for the Texans. Ah well, there's always next season right? Or maybe not with the lockout looming... and probably not for Gary Kubiak, who will catch some fire going into the off-season.

20. Cleveland Browns (5-8, -1): Better than last season, but still have some things to improve upon, as they proved last Sunday when they were dropped by the Buffalo Bills. Colt McCoy means a lot to this team... Jake Delhomme is just awful. Hopefully Colt will be able to come back soon, to end the season on a high note for the Cleveland Browns. I hope they stick with Eric Mangini going into next season, he has this team motivated to succeed still.

21. Dallas Cowboys (4-9, +1): Close isn't quite good enough to beat the Eagles, I'm afraid. However, their offense looked strong against the Eagles which is nice. Although Jon Kitna, while having good accuracy, seemed to be afraid to take some deep shots against a young Philadelphia secondary. Ah well, Dallas will have another shot at the Eagles at the end of the season. They are hoping to get them back at that time.

22. St. Louis Rams (6-7, -1): No surprise losing at New Orleans, but one would hope they would be able to score a bit more points than they did. Even with a losing record, however, they still are #1 in the NC West and this division will likely came down to when the Rams and Seahawks clash in Week 17. The only real question is whether or not the NFC West champion will be able to even be .500?

23. Washington Redskins (5-8, +2): Ryan Torain was the bright spot of the Redskins' loss to Tampa Bay last Sunday, rushing for an insane 172 yards on 24 attempts. It was absolutely criminal that he did not get a touchdown against the Buccaneers. And if the Redskins want to know why they lost the game they need not look further than Kicker Graham Gano, who missed two easy field goals (and just barely kicked another). While the botched extra point was not Gano's fault, the kicking team as a whole should be embarrassed about that performance, and if I were a Redskins fan I would flinch whenever a field goal or extra point is attempted.

24. Seattle Seahawks (6-7, -1): Hey, I was right about those Niners! But poor Seahawks, they just can't get any type of rhythm or consistency going, a shame since they might be the best team on paper in the NFC West and may be the only one with a prayer to win a playoff game if they got one. Still, the way the Rams have been playing and their mommentum I think they will ultimately lose the division to the Rams but we'll see. It will be decided Week 17.

25. Tennessee Titans (5-8, -1): They remained competitive against Indianapolis and got back to running the football with Chris Johnson, which I liked, but Kerry Collins is not good enough to win them many games anymore. The locker room turmoil with the Vince Young, Jeff Fisher, Bud Adams soap opera may have killed the rest of this momentum this team had left.

26. San Francisco 49ers (5-8, +0): I guess Alex Smith might have some stuff that he hasn't shown us yet, after all. Nice win against the Seahawks, technically keeping their season alive at 5-8. If the 49ers come back to win the game, it would be nothing short of comical. Anyway, not much to say... they destroyed those poor Seahawks. Brian Westbrook is doing a good job filling in for the injured Frank Gore.

27. Detroit Lions (3-10, +1): What we learned from the Lions: The key to beating the Packers is to injure Aaron Rodgers. Just kidding, just kidding... the Lions have played well at home this season and they were able to get a big win against the Pack, snapping a bunch of poor streaks for them. Maybe Calvin Johnson's tantrum about winning worked, the Lions won a game! And a division matchup, too!

28. Buffalo Bills (3-10, +1): Huge upset by beating Cleveland last week! The Bills are hot right now, trying to end the season on a high note. They will be a major threat to their remaining opponents, even if they will likely be expected to lose most of those games. The defense only allowing 6 points and forcing three fumbles from Peyton Hillis was amazing, and surprising.

29. Arizona Cardinals (4-9, +2): The Cardinals were able to find some late-season fire after all, destroying the visiting Broncos with yet another rookie Quarterback, Joe Skelton, starting. Defense played very well to force a second bad game from Kyle Orton, and the Cardinals were able to take advantage of a demoralized Broncos team.

30. Denver Broncos (3-10, -3): How can Denver be so bad? They looked to have an explosive passing offense early in the season, but now even Kyle Orton is starting to fail them. They have some big players on the defense and some big players on the offense, on paper they are defiantly not a 3-10 football team. Josh McDaniels will be remembered as the coach who single-handedly destroyed this Broncos organization.

31. Cincinnati Bengals (2-11, -1): From a double-digit win season to a double-digit losing season in a single season... Wow. I just don't know what is wrong with this Bengals team, they are just unable to win even after adding Terrell Owens. Their defense is not able to get pressure like they did last season, and Cedric Benson has been unable to produce in the run offense like he did last season. This season is one to forget for the Bengals. Bye bye, Marvin Lewis.

32. Carolina Panthers (1-12, +0): Sooo... Andrew Luck for first ovreall pick by the Carolina Panthers? Seems so. Jimmy Clausen actually hasn't played too badly considering the Offensive Line play, but I don't think the Panthers view him as the answer with the Quarterback carousel this season. At least they were able to find a gem late in the season in Runningback Mike Goodson.

San Francisco (5-8) @ San Diego (7-6): San Diego by 7. Both of these teams are trying to hold onto their playoff hopes to win their respective divisions, but the Chargers have the upper hand. They are playing at home, and honestly have the better team. This came could actually go either way, though... both teams have their morale raised after a huge win last Sunday, but I have to go with the better team at home.

Kansas City (8-5) @ St. Louis (6-7): Upset alert! St. Louis by 3. Tough game to call, but I'm going to go for the Rams at home. The Rams have played good football at home this season, but both of these teams will want it bad. The Chiefs are trying to stay ahead in an AFC West they opened the door to last Sunday. The Rams are trying to get back into control of the NFC West (and trying to get rid of their losing record). But if the Chiefs must start Brodie Croyle again, there may not even be a game. Cassel will need to get better.

Buffalo (3-10) @ Miami (7-6): Upset alert! Buffalo by 3. I'm not going to lie, this game could easily go either way. Miami's defense is good enough to keep them in it but Buffalo is a red-hot team now looking forward to playing spoiler and getting some positive things going into the off-season. Miami is 1-5 at home this season, they just haven't been able to establish anything there and it could be a long day for an offense who has been struggling with injuries and offensive line issues.

Cleveland (5-8) @ Cincinnati (2-11): Cleveland by 3. After a disappointing loss at Buffalo, I expect the Browns to make up for it with a win against the pitiful Bengals. Although the Bengals aren't really as bad as their record suggests and could be dangerous, Cleveland has been playing solid football all season and will likely make less mistakes than the Bengals, which will be the key.

Jacksonville (8-5) @ Indianapolis (7-6): Indianapolis by 3. Huge AFC South showdown, and it will determine the favorite in that division moving forward. After being upset by the Jaguars earlier this season, the Colts will have added motivation to beat them at home this time around. The Jaguars must travel to a hostile Indianapolis environment and attempt to best Peyton Manning twice... which is no easy task. But if they do, the Jaguars will take the AFC South prize back home with them.

Kerry Collins is an improvement over Rusty Smith, but by how much?

Houston (5-8) @ Tennessee (5-8): Houston by 7. There was a time we thought these two teams would be battling it out for the division this season, now we are wondering if they will be able to keep their head coaches going into the off-season... Houston is not as bad as their record, though (although their pass defense is horrible). Last time these two teams matched up, Houston was able to score a shut-out and hold Chris Johnson to squat. While Kerry Collins is a bit more scary of a Quarterback, not by much. I think the Texans will win this one.

Washington (5-8) @ Dallas (4-9): Dallas by 10. You know that the Cowboys have been looking forward to this matchup since their defeat in Week 1 which started their horrid season. Now they get another shot at these Redskins, a Redskins team now demoralized after some poor games as of late. I think Dallas takes this one at home.

Philadelphia (9-4) @ New York G (9-4): Philadelphia by 3. And now, the key NFC East matchup. New York has battled back after their first encounter to tie the division, but I think the Eagles have an edge in this game. They have the Michael Vick factor... and the Eli Manning interception factor (which the Eagles will be able to capitalize on more than the Vikings). The Giants are also now on a short week after the entire Metrodome crisis. For them to win, they will want to abuse a suspect Eagles defense.

Arizona (4-9) @ Carolina (1-12): Arizona by 7. After a huge win against Denver, this Cardinals team feels it can do anything - and that includes defeat the NFL's worst team in the Carolina Panthers... or one would hope. The Cardinals should win this game, nothing else really needs to be said but... the Cardinals suck, so an upset could occur.

Detroit (3-10) @ Tampa Bay (8-5): Tampa Bay by 7. Desperately trying to chase a wildcard spot, I will be surprised if the Buccaneers get dropped at home here. True; Detroit got a big win last Sunday against the Aaron-Rodgersless Packers, but they still only scored a grand total of 7 points. Unless they injure Josh Freeman, too, they will need a little more points than that to beat a Tampa Bay team with a lot of swagger.

New Orleans (10-3) @ Baltimore (9-4): New Orleans by 3. Huge game for two teams trying to hang into a wildcard birth. Seeing what Matt Schaub and the Texans were able to do to this team Monday night though... I think the Saints will win this. First of all, the Baltimore offensive line seems to be suspect against the blitz lately. The Saints are masters of the blitz. Secondly, the Ravens defense is likely to get tired again against the offense of the Saints, which could be considered the big brother of a Houston offense that looks a lot like it.

Atlanta (11-2) @ Seattle (6-7): Atlanta by 10. The Falcons should have no problems dealing with the red-light green-light Seahawks. Expect Matt Ryan and Roddy White to expose a poor Seattle secondary, while Seattle will struggle offensively against the stingy squad of the Atlanta Falcons. This is a shame for the Seahawks, who are desperately trying to keep up with the Rams.

Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense has been pitiful lately.

New York J (9-4) @ Pittsburgh (10-3): Pittsburgh by 7. Oh, how the mighty have fallen with the Jets, dropping two division games in a row in a miserable fashion. Now their struggling offense plays likely the NFL's strongest defense in the Pittsburgh Steelers'. I just don't see how Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense will be able to move the ball. While it will be a close game due to the Jets' defense as well, I think Pittsburgh will win ultimately.

Denver (3-10) @ Oakland (6-7): Oakland by 10. While I doubt it will be the blowout that we saw in the first matchup, the Raiders should win again against the Broncos. The Broncos looked simply awful against the Cardinals, and there is no reason to suspect it will change against a better opponent. Unlike other interim coaches, Eric Studesville did not appear to light a spark and he is no offensive mastermind like Josh McDaniels.

Green Bay (8-5) @ New England (11-2): New England by 7. Unfortanutely for the Packers, the Patriots will have plenty of reason to try in this game. With a Jets loss, the Patriots could clinch the AFC East with a win against the Packers. If the Packers want any chance to win this game, they need Aaron Rodgers to get healthy. I do not trust Matt Flynn starting against a Bill Bellichick defense at New England. It just won't end very well.

Chicago (9-4) @ Minnesota (5-8): Chicago by 10. Expect the Bears to bounce back with a win against the Vikings this upcoming Sunday. While Brett Favre was not having a stellar season, he was surely better than Tavaris Jackson, as we saw last night. About the most interesting thing I can say about this matchup is where will it be played? The Metrodome is in doubt about whether it can be repaired before Monday, so they may be playing a Monday night football game at a college stadium.

Results of Last Week's Poll

Last week, I asked my readers "Which current NFC wildcard contender is most likely to miss the playoffs?" between Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, or New York Giants?

The loser of the poll was the New York Giants, with 75% of the vote. The New Orleans Saints was next, with 25%. No one seemed to think the Green Bay Packers would miss out. While I voted for the New York Giants, I must say after last Sunday I may change my vote to the Green Bay Packers after they lost Aaron Rodgers to a concussion and got beat by the Lions. But both the Giants and the Packers are in danger, however.

This week's poll is "How long will Brett Favre's consecutive games streak of 297 games last?" between Peyton Manning will break it, It will be broken eventually but not by Peyton, or It will never be broken?